Autumn Kiss 💋🍁 || Criston Cole

012 • HIS LAST WISH

As soon Ser Criston shuts the doors of her bedchamber, Alicent began to scold him. "You should not have done that." Alicent said coldly.

"Yes. I beg your pardon, Your Grace." He said averting his gaze to the ground. "I blame my hot blood, it drives me to such lengths when I ought keep my head." Ser Criston admits with shame.

The green queen shook her head "This was not the time. You ought to be shown...control. You've killed Lord Beesbury."

"Forgive me Your Grace." Ser Criston could hardly look at her for shame, she was absolutely right.

Sighing, the Queen proceeds to drink a cup of wine, then began to pace back and forth.

"You need to be rested for tomorrow." Ser Criston urged sitting on the Queen's bed, exhaustively trying to convince her to find rest.

Since sending Talya away, the Queen doesn't utter a word.

"Alicent." Criston try once more but still she doesn't respond.

He was beginning to wonder if she could even hear him. He stand up, making his way over. Alicent doesn't stop pacing until he stood directly in front of her.

She finally looks up, meeting his gaze and he release the breath he wasn't even aware you were holding. Reaching forward, he collects the cup and set it on the table, then removed her hand from her mouth.

The Queen's nails raw and bloody as she'd been gnawing at it endlessly. Her eyes red and puffy, it pained him to witness her in this state. Alicent has never looked so fragile.

He slowly lift her hand to his mouth, placing a tender kiss against her cuticles. He only wish she would stop hurting herself.

The Queen closes her eyes, visibly relaxing. He take it as a sign to further your efforts. Leaning in, he place a gentle kiss against her eyelid.

Alicent has a bigger reaction to this. Immediately wrapping her arms around him, she nuzzles her face into his shoulder.

His is content with holding her silently. Alicent doesn't say anything and he don't expect her to.

She is grieving her husband, the father of her children. All Ser Criston can do right now is support her in any way he could.

"Come to bed my love, you must rest." Ser Criston convinced. Alicent lifts her head off his shoulder.

She doesn't make any effort to walk to the bed with him but finally, she speaks. "Yesterday when I visited the King.. on his deathbed-He told me he wishes for Aegon to be crowned King." Alicent confessed.

Ser Criston was lost for words. Staring at Alicent for a moment he fail to conjure a response. His silence seemed to worsened her anxiety as she snaps at him.

"Don't be silent, say something-" Agitation prevalent in the Queen's tone.

"But he named Princess Rhaenyra his heir."
Ser Criston stated the obvious, still incapable of finding the right words, even though he hated the Princess.

What Alicent's suggesting is the usurpation of an anointed heir. Stripping away the Princess' birthright will be catastrophic.

"With the drama at the small council, whatever decision we take, It will mean war Your Grace." Ser Criston spoke the outcome.

"i know, but Viserys told me what he wanted
He did, but he changed his mind. He expressed the words to me himself." Alicent argued. "It was his final wish, I must honour it."

If it weren't for the faint tremble in her voice he would've been fooled by the Queen's feigned conviction. Already they had planned on ursurping the throne since Rheanyra married Laenor Velaryon, and now Lord Beesbury was dead, Ser Harrold resigned his post, the King's corpse is still in his chambers. Everything is happening fast, over night.